The Flights Guru- Norwegian Airlines Refund

sheramber

• If you book a package your contract is with The Flights Guru Limited. A contract arises between us once you have completed and signed our booking form or confirm you have read and understood the booking conditions shown on our websites, or made the appropriate payment to us and we have issued our confirmation invoice. If you book other travel arrangements, The Flights Guru Limited acts as a booking agent and your contract is with the supplier(s) (e.g. the airline or hotel supplier or cruise or tour operator) concerned. The booking conditions of that other company will also apply to you. You will see that certain of the terms and conditions below only apply if you have booked a package.

https://holidays.theflightsguru.co.uk/terms.php

Dshae

Many  thanks all for your advice! I managed to speak to a FG agent (Liam) who is dealing with all of the refunds. He said Norwegian have been very slow, however, promised me he would be chasing them up as I explained Norwegian would not speak to me and they advised me to get someone from FG to contact them. Unfortunately, Liam did not call back and I haven’t managed to get hold of him when I call. 
Just over £1600 is a lot of money to lose, so I really want to pursue this. 

CKhalvashi

Dshae said:

Many  thanks all for your advice! I managed to speak to a FG agent (Liam) who is dealing with all of the refunds. He said Norwegian have been very slow, however, promised me he would be chasing them up as I explained Norwegian would not speak to me and they advised me to get someone from FG to contact them. Unfortunately, Liam did not call back and I haven’t managed to get hold of him when I call. 
Just over £1600 is a lot of money to lose, so I really want to pursue this. 

From the link above:

[QUOTE]In the unlikely event that a booking has to be cancelled, for any reason other than non-payment by you, we will offer you alternative travel arrangements if these are available. Or, you can have a full and prompt refund of all monies paid to The Flights Guru Limited less any insurance premiums and amendment fees. No compensation is payable.[/QUOTE]

I will construct a quick template letter to put to them on this basis, but I've been awake since 5am, haven't eaten yet and haven't had a shower yet so it won't be tonight. It is about 3/4 of the way down the page.

It looks (subject to any alternative contract terms) that as I mentioned on the last page, FG may be liable to refund you in any event. This will not alter the S75 rights as they remain a third party, however if the Chargeback was within the correct timescales, this may be able to be re-disputed with the bank, although I'm not sure on the odds of success.

If I haven't posted something here by around 6pm tomorrow, pop me a PM and I'll get it done at that point for you if I haven't had a chance already.

Alan_Bowen

There are around 34,000 unpaid refunds outstanding which the airline claims as a result of the legal action taken to protect it from total collapse, cannot be refunded at all. Yours may well be one of them. As far as I know, all UK staff have been made redundant and I would assume therefore their office has closed. The airline has been offering cashpoints to be used on whatever flights may start at some point from Gatwick to Scandanavia but not much use for those wanting to fly to the US so I would look again at your insurance cover, unlikely , but possibly your only hope at this stage

Dshae

@CKhalvashi truly appreciate your support!

CKhalvashi

Alan_Bowen said:

There are around 34,000 unpaid refunds outstanding which the airline claims as a result of the legal action taken to protect it from total collapse, cannot be refunded at all. Yours may well be one of them. As far as I know, all UK staff have been made redundant and I would assume therefore their office has closed. The airline has been offering cashpoints to be used on whatever flights may start at some point from Gatwick to Scandanavia but not much use for those wanting to fly to the US so I would look again at your insurance cover, unlikely , but possibly your only hope at this stage

Norwegian Air UK has been liquidated, this is who OP's claim would be with if it were to be with the airline. The terms of OP's contract with FG may mean that the claim is actually with the agent, as listed in the terms and conditions.

OP, I'd write something like the following, editing to fit your needs and adding anything else you feel is relevant:

LETTER BEFORE ACTION

I am writing with reference to my booking with you, under booking reference XXXXXX which I note has not yet been refunded.

I note that further to our previous correspondence, the following terms within your own conditions have been brought to my attention:

In the unlikely event that a booking has to be cancelled, for any reason other than non-payment by you, we will offer you alternative travel arrangements if these are available. Or, you can have a full and prompt refund of all monies paid to The Flights Guru Limited less any insurance premiums and amendment fees. No compensation is payable. This is listed under subheading 'Other travel arrangements' under heading 'Cancellation by The Flights Guru Limited'

I deem this term to mean The Flights Guru Limited will remain liable for my fare, whether or not this is refunded by the now defunct Norwegian Air UK Limited. I therefore demand a full refund of £XXXX.XX under this clause within 30 days of this letter to my bank account sorting code XX-XX-XX account number XXXXXXXX, or court papers may be issued without further reference to you, which may increase your liability to costs. In addition, please treat this matter as a formal complaint.

I await your response.

(signed)

Dshae

Dshae

@CKhalvashi thank you so much for taking the time out to assist me. I will be sending this off tomorrow. Will update! Many thanks again 😊

mash8004

I’ve had Delta flights booked to Orlando via Flights Guru which have been changed 3 times due to Covid. The latest flight is booked for October ‘21 but obviously it will no doubt be cancelled. In the interim we have made a further booking for next June with them (using Virgin). As we are unlikely to travel in October I contacted Flights Guru and suggested that since the October flight was unlikely to go ahead, can I transfer the monies already paid (£400+), onto the flight next June. They told me I couldn’t do that as it is 2 separate bookings and that Virgin are still doing flights. I informed them that because of Bidens proclamation we are banned from travelling to the US. Again they said that Virgin are still continuing to do flights. They suggested altering the flight date from October to December but that was a further £350 pp on top (of course the price increases with every change to the booking). They are expecting me paying the balance for the October flight at the end of this month. If I don’t pay the balance, I lose the £400+ already paid. I’m shafted either way I think.

CKhalvashi

mash8004 said:

I’ve had Delta flights booked to Orlando via Flights Guru which have been changed 3 times due to Covid. The latest flight is booked for October ‘21 but obviously it will no doubt be cancelled. In the interim we have made a further booking for next June with them (using Virgin). As we are unlikely to travel in October I contacted Flights Guru and suggested that since the October flight was unlikely to go ahead, can I transfer the monies already paid (£400+), onto the flight next June. They told me I couldn’t do that as it is 2 separate bookings and that Virgin are still doing flights. I informed them that because of Bidens proclamation we are banned from travelling to the US. Again they said that Virgin are still continuing to do flights. They suggested altering the flight date from October to December but that was a further £350 pp on top (of course the price increases with every change to the booking). They are expecting me paying the balance for the October flight at the end of this month. If I don’t pay the balance, I lose the £400+ already paid. I’m shafted either way I think.

Please start your own thread for this, as it's rude to hijack someone elses thread with an irrelevant (to this thread) issue.

In short, if you are flight only, you have very limited rights and the information you have been given is correct if the flights go.

You also don't have a right to any change fees in the event of an ultimate cancellation.